another hair question

LaCh
LaCh Member Posts: 557
in Anal Cancer #1

Ok, so I'm 9 full weeks out from my last chemo treatment and my hair is STILL coming out in clumps in the shower. I'm not bald, just very very thin and thinning.  Has anyone else experienced this, this far out from chemo?  The chemo nurse said she doesn't think it's chemo related but I wanted to poll the people who've received the treatment to get a broader picture.

Comments

  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #2
    Hair loss

    I was experiencing some hair loss b4 tx.  A few strands a day, that is what prompted me to go to doc.  Escalated during tx, never clumps, just strands everywhere.  Like a dog shedding.  It tapered off after tx, but continued to lose.  Many test later find out vitb12deficient and low in vit d3.

     

    Even after all that hair continued to fall out for 1 1/2years until I stopped using Pantene moisture balance shampoo.

     

    I am growing hair now not losing it .

     

    You can tell a lot about your health fromyour  nails.  If you have ridges, bumps, or any irregularities you can put into Internet and it will give you a diagnosis.

     

    Im glad your feeling better.  

     

    This word processing system is terrible.  It makes things up and puts words together that should never be together.  My hands hurt too much to edit.

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #3
    Hair

    My hair continued to fall out for at least 2 months after treatment, maybe even 3, before I began seeing any new growth.

  • Marynb
    Marynb Member Posts: 1,118
    #4
    LaCh
    Hi. I never lost hair, but it did change texture. It got thicker and wavy. Strange. I wonder what that means? It has gone back to straight now.
  • LisaMMiles
    LisaMMiles Member Posts: 38
    #5
    What kind of chemo?

    I had 5FU chemo and did not loose any hair. I damaged it a little, made it dry and not shiny. But no loss. What kind of chemo did you have?

  • M1234
    M1234 Member Posts: 17
    #6
    hair loss

    My hair continues to fall out more than it would normally. I finished up treatment the 2nd week of December 2012. My understanding is that many had their hair grow back after time and some even ended up with curlier hair than before.  I sure hope that will be the case for me :).  I stopped coloring my hair prior to treatment and cut it short.  I plan to continue to wear my hair short until I stop shedding.

     

  • LaCh
    LaCh Member Posts: 557
    #7
    LisaMMiles said:

    What kind of chemo?

    I had 5FU chemo and did not loose any hair. I damaged it a little, made it dry and not shiny. But no loss. What kind of chemo did you have?

    chemo

    I had mitomycin and 5FU.

  • LaCh
    LaCh Member Posts: 557
    #8
    Marynb said:

    LaCh
    Hi. I never lost hair, but it did change texture. It got thicker and wavy. Strange. I wonder what that means? It has gone back to straight now.

    hair changes

    I've read that the hair changes that result from chemotherapy are because the hair follicles are damaged along with all the other skin cells and that this damage to the follicle, which is temporary, produces curly or wavy hair. As the folicles recover (heal) from the chemo, they regain their original qualities, which is what determines hair texture (straight, curly, etc). That's what I've read. I've also read that "nobody knows why chemo makes hair grow back temporarily curly." That said, the damaged hair follicle theory works for me. 

  • LaCh
    LaCh Member Posts: 557
    #9
    M1234 said:

    hair loss

    My hair continues to fall out more than it would normally. I finished up treatment the 2nd week of December 2012. My understanding is that many had their hair grow back after time and some even ended up with curlier hair than before.  I sure hope that will be the case for me :).  I stopped coloring my hair prior to treatment and cut it short.  I plan to continue to wear my hair short until I stop shedding.

     

    falling out

    Well, after polling this site, asking someone at the American Cancer Society and speaking to my chemo nurse, it seems that there's no consensus or definitive answer about why my hair's still falling out. 

  • LaCh
    LaCh Member Posts: 557
    #10
    mp327 said:

    Hair

    My hair continued to fall out for at least 2 months after treatment, maybe even 3, before I began seeing any new growth.

    mp327

    well, I hope mine stops soon. I'm 9 weeks out (from chemo) and I'm shedding more hair than my dog.

  • LaCh
    LaCh Member Posts: 557
    #11
    Phoebesnow said:

    Hair loss

    I was experiencing some hair loss b4 tx.  A few strands a day, that is what prompted me to go to doc.  Escalated during tx, never clumps, just strands everywhere.  Like a dog shedding.  It tapered off after tx, but continued to lose.  Many test later find out vitb12deficient and low in vit d3.

     

    Even after all that hair continued to fall out for 1 1/2years until I stopped using Pantene moisture balance shampoo.

     

    I am growing hair now not losing it .

     

    You can tell a lot about your health fromyour  nails.  If you have ridges, bumps, or any irregularities you can put into Internet and it will give you a diagnosis.

     

    Im glad your feeling better.  

     

    This word processing system is terrible.  It makes things up and puts words together that should never be together.  My hands hurt too much to edit.

    phoebesnow

    I don't do anything with my hair. I shower, don't shampoo too often and use a plant-based conditioner from time to time.  I have short hair (inch or two), dry as wheat and as brittle as a brillo pad.  Maybe it's not such a bad thing that it's jumping ship. Maybe bald is the way to go. Who knows. 

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